DES MOINES, Iowa — Drivers crossing Iowa on Interstate 80 tonight will meet closed lanes at both ends of Des Moines. The Iowa Department of Transportation will shut eastbound I-80 at the Northeast Mixmaster and westbound I-80 at the Southwest Mixmaster beginning Sunday evening, November 1, weather permitting, in two separate releases from its Grimes and Creston construction offices.
Source: Iowa Department of Transportation, Oct. 27, 2026
The two work zones sit on the same coast-to-coast freight corridor, a few miles apart across the Des Moines metro. The northeast work connects interchange ramps to the new eastbound I-80 pavement; the southwest work is grading and concrete paving. Both run overnight, and both reopen each morning — except one northeast ramp, which stays closed for more than five weeks.
The Northeast Mixmaster: what closes, and when
Eastbound I-80 from the Northeast Mixmaster to U.S. 65 will close from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. each night, beginning Sunday night and lasting through Friday morning, November 6, the Iowa DOT's Grimes construction office said. Drivers are directed to the marked blue detour route.
Source: Iowa Department of Transportation, Oct. 27, 2026
Two connecting ramps close on the same nights from 8 p.m.: eastbound Interstate 235 to eastbound I-80, and southbound Interstate 35 to eastbound I-80, each reopening by 5 a.m. through Friday, November 6, following the same blue detour, the department said.
The long closure is the ramp from eastbound I-235 to westbound I-80. It closes at 8 p.m. Sunday and does not reopen until 6 a.m. on Wednesday, December 9 — a closure of more than five weeks while crews tie the ramps into the new eastbound pavement. Drivers on that movement follow the marked green detour, the DOT said.
The other side of the city: westbound I-80 in West Des Moines
In West Des Moines, crews will close westbound I-80 between the Southwest Mixmaster and Grand Prairie Parkway (Exit 118) overnight from 8:30 p.m. to 5 a.m., starting Sunday night, November 1, until Friday morning, November 6, weather permitting, according to the Iowa DOT's Creston construction office. The closure includes the westbound on-ramps at the Southwest Mixmaster, 60th Street (Exit 122) and Jordan Creek Parkway (Exit 121).
Source: Iowa Department of Transportation via EIN Presswire, Oct. 29, 2026
The westbound closure allows grading and concrete pavement work, and drivers should follow the marked detour using University Avenue and Grand Prairie Parkway, the department said. The I-80 Exit Guide's road-news summary of the same release likewise warns drivers in the area to expect delays through Friday morning.
Source: I-80 Exit Guide
I-80 is the main east-west freight route across Iowa, and both Des Moines work zones bite on the same nights. Eastbound through-drivers lose the Northeast Mixmaster-to-U.S. 65 stretch from 9 p.m.; westbound drivers lose the Southwest Mixmaster-to-Exit 118 stretch from 8:30 p.m. The DOT says to expect delays, follow the signed detours, and check 511 before rolling.
Background: a rebuild that has been closing this road in phases
The Northeast Mixmaster, where I-35, I-80 and I-235 meet on the northeast side of Des Moines, is being rebuilt in stages, and this site covered the previous phase last month: eastbound I-80 on this same stretch closed overnight on October 21 and 22 for paving, and again nightly from October 25 to 30. Sunday night's closures are the next step — the ramps are now being connected to the new eastbound pavement those October nights laid down.
The Iowa DOT reminded motorists to drive with caution in the work areas, obey posted speed limits and signs, stay alert, leave ample space between vehicles and wear seat belts — and warned that traffic fines for moving violations are at least double in work zones.
What happens next
The nightly closures at both interchanges run through Friday morning, November 6, while the eastbound I-235 to westbound I-80 ramp stays closed until 6 a.m. on December 9. Every closure is weather permitting, so drivers should confirm the live status before travelling through Iowa 511 at 511ia.org, by calling 511 in Iowa or 800-288-1047 nationwide, or through the free 511 app. Project questions go to Kasi Province at the Grimes construction office, 515-986-2863, for the northeast work, and Akhilesh Pal at the Creston construction office, 641-782-4518, for the southwest work, the department said.
What is solid
- The closure stretches, hours, dates, purposes and detours are stated in the Iowa DOT's own October 27 (Grimes office) and October 29 (Creston office) releases.
- The westbound Southwest Mixmaster closure is independently summarised by the I-80 Exit Guide with the same hours, exits and detour.
- The October paving closures on the same eastbound stretch are a matter of record from the DOT's October 21 release.
What is only claimed
- Whether every listed night will actually close is not yet established — the DOT conditions all of the work on the weather, and directs drivers to the live 511 system for the current status.